• December 1, 2008

LeBron James and Microsoft Corp. have ended a two-year marketing partnership.

Keith Estabrook, a spokesman for the NBA superstar, told The Associated Press the contract between the Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star and Microsoft is not being renewed.

The collaboration led to only one major project: a Web site geared toward children and teens that was launched in 2007. James' site at lebron.msn.com has been shut down and lebronjames.com is also vacant, leaving him temporarily without a personal Web site. James' first appearance for Microsoft was in a cameo role in TV ads for the launch of its Windows Vista operating system in early 2007. The partnership reportedly faltered when Microsoft executive Joanne Bradford, who struck the deal with James, resigned as head of the company's MSN media network this year.--Tanya Irwin